A few weeks after Tim and Leslie's party, Marie again brought up the idea of carrying a baby for them. Leslie couldn't have children but she and Tim both loved kids. Rich was still having a hard time with the idea that Marie would be pregnant and more or less unavailable. It's not that Rich was grossed out by her pregnant belly, but somehow Marie just became completely uninterested in sex while she was pregnant. "It would be a really nice thing to do for them," Marie began.
"You know what happened the last time you were pregnant. You didn't want anything to do with me," Rich argued. "There's no way I want that to happen again. I mean, I'm a man. I need sex."
Marie just stared at her husband. She knew he was right. Rich's libido might be lower than it used to be, but he had the the highest libido of any person she knew and that included men half his age.
Luckily for Rich, it was time for work so the conversation was tabled.
That night, laying in bed after making love, Marie confessed to Rich, "I spoke to Leslie today. I think she would be willing to make up for any sex that you might miss. Rich, they really want another baby. They're willing to do almost anything. I think she even may have talked Tim into it. It's just you holding things up."
Rich didn't like being made the bad guy. "Really? I'm the bad guy?" he thought. Aloud he said, "I'm sure Tim is willing. I've seen the way he looks at you. He has no qualms about going direct deposit with you."
Marie began to pull away from him, "I didn't bring this up to fight. I just want you to really consider it. I won't do anything if you haven't agreed. Just think about it ok? I mean, we have three kids. Sure they drive us crazy sometimes, but think about how lucky we are and how much this would mean to our friends. Our close friends."
Rich tightened his clutch, "don't roll away. Just hug me. I'm really confused about all of this. I really don't know what to think or to feel about this."
Marie acquiesced and melted back into his arms and they fell asleep intertwined. Rich slept fitfully, dreaming about his friend depositing his semen into Marie and nine months of pregnancy imposed chastity. Marie slept just as fitfully dreaming about the same thing but with very different feelings.
That weekend, Tim and Leslie threw another party. This time the kids all went to Rich and Marie's house and no one else was invited. Just a small cozy party for two couples. A dinner party to formalize the plan developing between them. Rich still wasn't sure about Marie carrying their child, but it seemed like the longer the conversation went on, the more likely it was going to happen. Oh sure, they would have to sign all the legal documents so that someone else could be the parents, but that really seemed like a foregone conclusion.
Leslie looked at Rich, "You have no idea how much this means to us. To me. How grateful we - I will be."
Rich took a sip of his wine. Dry, it didn't help his mouth. Leslie was attractive and fun to be around, they would never have been friends if the women hadn't worked together when Marie had first moved to town. But their paths had crossed, through Marie and here they were. Rich studied her face for what seemed like forever. Her eyes were dark inky pools, her medium bodied lips pressed into a thin smile. Her dark hair fell around her face contrasting her pale skin. He could not be completely sure of her meaning.
"Rich, are you good with this?" Tim broke into his thoughts. Rich turned to assess the question. "I don't want to do anything you don't want to do. And I don't want you to do anything you aren't really ready to do."
"I'm about 85% sure," Rich sounded more sure than he claimed, surprised at the words escaping his lips.
"Good. We're really happy that you guys are on board. This is just the ultimate gift,"
To Rich, it looked like Tim might tear up, just a little. Rich placed his arm around his friend's shoulder, "I know. Happy to do it," there was that confident sounding voice again. Where what that coming from?
They finished dinner, dessert was in there somewhere, another drink or two and then the night was over. They parted company with the plans and the schedule laid out for the next few months.
On the short ride home, Marie patted Rich's hand. "Thank you, honey. I don't think you will regret this."